Parachute



Dec. 16,1924. 1,519,357 v O. D. LUCAS FARACHUTE 4 Sheets-Sha a 1 Filed May s, 1925 v Dec, 16, 1924.

. o. n. LUCAS PARACHUTE Fileo. May 5, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 O. D. LUCAS PARACHUTE Filed May 5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheei Dec. 16, 1924. 1,519,857

0. D. LUCAS .PARACHUTE Filed May 5, 1923 4 Shets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 16, 19241.

UNITE sr OWEN DAVID LUCAS, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY.

PARACHUTE.

Application filed May 5, 1923. Serial No. 636,790.

To (dim/10m it may concern:

Be it known that-I, OWEN DAVID LUCAS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing .at Vickers House, Broadway, VVestminster, in the county of-London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Parachutes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to parachutes, particularly such as are intended for pyrotechnic purposes where light or smoke signals or flares are to be shown in the air. The invention is however also applicable to lifesaving parachutes carried by aircraft. When parachutes-are dropped they quickly attain a high velocity of descent such that the resistance offered by the parachute when it opens becomes so great as to sometimes break the fabric of which, it is composed and the chief object of the present invention is to obviate this disadvantage.

According to the invention the parachute is provided with means operating automatically to reduce the resistance offered by the arachute when a predetermined resistance has been attained. These means preferably comprise a spring which is interposed between the load to be supported and a portion of the parachute fabric; this spring normally operates to hold the fabric in its position of maximum sustaining efficiency but when the resistance reaches the predetermined limit the said sprin permits the fabric to assume a position 0 ering a smaller resistance the amount of which is approximately inversely proportional to the velocity of descent. The said fabric may be made in the form of an endless band the lower edge of which is connected by cords to a ring from which the load-is suspended'and the upper edge is connected by other cords to the aforesaid spring which in turn is con nected to the load.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view showing a para chute, constructed accordingto this invention, 1n ts normal sustaining condition.

Figure 2 1s a view similar to Figure 1 sh i g th pa h e in t e condition it would theoretically assume when falling at infinite speed, and

Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figure 1, showing two modified forms of parachute.

A is the endless band (see particularly Figure 2) h'aving a depth in the example shown, of about one third the diameter of this band when opened to form a cylinder as in Figure 2. The loweror outer edge of this band'is connected by a number of cords a a to a ring A and the upper or inner edge of this band is connected by a number of cords a a to a spring A preferably composed of elastic strands.

The lower end of; this spring is connected to cords a a passing through the ring A and the ring carries depending cords a a p to the cords a, a at the points A Theload is suitably connected to the said cords below, their point of connec-' tion A The lengths of the various cords are such that in the normal sustaining condition of the parachute the upper edge of the fabric band A is drawn downwards and inwards to cause the fabric to assume an annular shape with a large number of pockets as shown in Figure 1. The spring A is stressed more or less according to the resistance offered by the fabric and as this resistance increases the inner edge of the fabric rises and further extends the spring without at first appreciably decreasing the sustaining power of the parachute. Acritical point is, however, reached at which further rising of the said inner edge leads to a sudwhich are connectedden drop in the sustaining power which Figure 3 shows a life-saving parachute in -which the cords a t which ineans are provided for altering the position of the inner edge of the fabric A as desired during descent, these means comprising a hand line A which is attachedat one end to a ring on to which the cords a a are connected and passes over a pulley a carried by the ring a and over another pulley a carried by a ring a to are attached. By pulling on the free end of the said line A the'parachutist can draw the aforesaid inner edge of the fabric A downwards below the position it would occupy under the case a portion of the load is utilised for resisting the upward movement of the inner edge, the action in this respect being similar to thht hereinbefore described with reference to the spring. Stops a, a carried by the cords a G are adapted to co-operate with the pulleys a, a to limit the upward and downward movements of these cords. The

aforesaid hand line A may also be employed in conjunction with this modification if desired.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theiUnited States is:- 1. In a parachute, the combination of a fabric in the form of'a cylindrical band, connections between the upper and lower edges of said band and the load to be supported and means for permitting'upward movement of said upper edge when a 'pre-' determined resistance has been attained.

2. In a parachute, the combination of a fabric in the form of a cylindrical band, connections between the upper and lower edges of said band and the load to be sup ported and a'spring in the connections be- 'tween said upper edge and the load.

3. In a life-saving parachute the combination with the elements claimed in claim 1,

of means for enabling the parachutist to alter* the position of the upper edge of the fabric as desired during the descent of the,

parachute.

4. In a life-saving parachute, the combination with the elements claimed in claim 2, of means for enabling the parachutist to alter the position of the upper edge of the fabric as desired during the descent of the parachute.

OWEN DAVID LUCAS. 

